The One Protector
by JodeRobin
Summary: It's in the story. Highly AU.


Oreo; Hello again

**Oreo; Hello again. To new readers, welcome. To people coming from my Naruto story, sorry for not popping out chapter five yet, as I've hit a bit of a monotonous rut. As some of my readers may have guessed, I'm a HUGE review hog. The more reader input i get, good or bad, defines when i update, if i drop a story, or where the story will go. Here's my first dabbling into the Bleach universe, and it will probably be highly AU, as I haven't made it that far in the anime or manga.**

**VW; You thought this up a week ago, and you're just starting it now? Man you're lazy. **

**Oreo; Meh. Enjoy the story!**

**Summary; how different would the lives of the Bleach crew be different if Isshin moved his family to Soul Society right after Masaki's death?**

**Chapter One- Death and Birth**

"Bye Tatsuki-chan! See you tomorrow!" shouted a young Ichigo, his messy carrot-orange hair bouncing wildly despite the rain, large expressive hazel eyes gleaming with joy as he turned from his friend in martial arts towards his mother, and equally bright haired woman. "Bye Ichigo! Don't fall in the river again!" Both redheads just laughed happily on their way out.

On the way home, at the river, Ichigo saw a young girl, leaning forward and looking like she was about to fall in the dirty, rain-swollen river. "Hey get back! You might fall in!" called out a worried Ichigo, running towards the youth, so intent in saving the youth from the danger that he didn't pause to consider his own. Recognizing the type of aura that the so-called youth contained, Masaki ran forward, her cries of "Ichigo, get away!!" falling on deaf ears. The youth turned, grinning hungrily at the sight of the young boy and his mother, 'her' blank eyes giving off a malicious, empty feeling. Stopping suddenly, Ichigo stared in mute horror as the 'youth' moved towards him with the grace and assurance of a deadly predator. Finding the 'youth' right in front of him, Ichigo felt insurmountable fear, and closed him eyes before feeling a warm, smelly, stickiness splashing over his small body. Fearfully opening his eyes, the youth had disappeared and his mother was on the ground in front of him, drenched in the rain and her own blood, the blood covering Ichigo, and coughing weakly. "K-Kaa-san? KAA-SAN!!" The terrified boy ran towards his fallen mother, crying over her until she reached up and gently touched his face, wiping away his tears. "I- Ichigo…. Q-quickly…" cough "g-go f-f-find your tou-san….." In shock, the redheaded boy stood up slowly, thinking that his dad was a doctor, so he could help Kaa-san. "H-Hai, Kaa-san! I-I'll find tou-san, and he'll m-make it all better." The young boy hiccupped. Masaki smiled weakly.

"Oh, I don't _think_ so, you _delicious little boy_." Stated a creepy, sadistic voice from behind the boy. Ichigo turned around, seeing the 'girl' behind him, floating off the ground, a shimmering outline above and behind 'her'. Concentrating, the outline grew more concrete, until it was no longer an outline, instead it was a Large, Hairy monster with a freaky bone white mask and an _antenna _attached to the girl from the top of the mask. The boy was wide eyed. "Wh- What _are_ you?" The monster merely grinned. " The one who's going to devour your _soul,_ boy." Fearfully backing away, Ichigo fought the instinct to run, as he 'couldn't leave Kaa-san alone with this monster.' Legs shaking at the creature's ravenous, tooth-filled grin, the redhead summoned up all his breath and yelled for help. "TTOOOOOOOOOOOOUUUUUUU-SSSAAAAAAAANNNNNNNNN!!" hoping the man would hear and come, as he always had when the boy was in trouble. Next thing he knew, Ichigo was batted aside, the right half of his body aching and already starting to bruise. He stood up defiantly, limping between the creature and the still form of his mother. "Oh? A fighter, eh? Good!! I've always liked a bit of play in my meal." Staring straight into the monster's eyes, Ichigo boldly stated "Stay away from my Kaa-san!" The Grand Fisher merely chuckled, raining blow upon blow on the boy with his lure, breaking bones, snapping muscles, and bruising skin. Through sheer willpower, the boy managed to get up after each blow, determined to protect his mother. "Stay down, food! It's never proper to eat dessert before the main course! HAHAHAHAHAHHA!"

"L-le-leave cough k-k-ka-kaa-san……. A-a-al-alone cough"

"Face it boy. There's nothing you can do. Now stay down, and let me eat both of you, LIKE A GOOD LITTLE BOY!!" Grand fisher rushed towards the young boy, catching him face down under his foot, and leaning towards Masaki. Ichigo looked despairingly towards his mother, seeing a translucent image of her with a chain sticking out of her chest. Masaki smiled warmly at Ichigo, if a little sadly, before stepping forward. "Let my little Ichigo alone, and you can have me. Just let him go…"

"Uee-heehee. What a generous offer." The monster stepped off of Ichigo, and Masaki stepped forward, allowing herself to be devoured, a smile on her face and tears running down her cheeks. After eating the spirit, grand fisher turned his attention to the sobbing boy, still laying face down on the ground, a large purplish-black bruise/burn coving his entire back and legs. "Now, my _delicious little morsel, _it's **your** turn." Ichigo looked up terrified, wincing from the pain of moving, as the creature picked him up with his flexible antenna. The boy screamed at the cold length adding to the pain, and the monster chuckled, drinking in the sounds, raw emotion, and reiki, all absolutely _pouring_ off the boy in large, powerful waves. "DROP HIM, YOU SICK BASTARD!!" Ichigo's father, Isshin, came charging in, dressed in a black gi and hakama**(1)**, a white haori, and wielding a slightly oversized katana. Isshin's katana cut down through the mask, making him drop Ichigo into his father's waiting arms, and retreating to Hueco Mundo, roaring feraly. "Ichigo, are you alright?" Isshin requested quietly. "H-Hai…. But Kaa-san…." The young boy shakily replied.

"shhh. Don't worry. There was nothing you could have done. Be proud that you kept him away for so long. If it's anyone's fault, its mine, for not getting here fast enough…."

"It's not your fault, tou-san. sniff If I hadn't tried to save that person…."

"Don't think like that. That creature, a Hollow, would have attacked anyways. Let's work on making you stronger, so next time no one will ever have to think about stuff like that, alright?"

"H-Hai! ….Tou-san… can you tell me what all that was, and why you're wearing that outfit?"

Sigh "I'll explain once we get home. Come on, we have to get ourselves, and Masaki-chan's body out of the rain."

The walk home was quiet, Ichigo sitting on his father's shoulders in the least painful position he could find, and Isshin carrying Masaki's body bridal style.

A while later, after funeral preparations were made, and Ichigo's back patched up with soothing creams and bandages, Isshin sat all three of his children down to explain what happened, and what he was. Ichigo was astounded to find that his father was a powerful man, and was actually just a spirit in a fake body, which he had bonded to, and was a little sad when Isshin decided they'd move to Soul Society three days after the funeral. That night when Ichigo fell asleep, he found himself in a rainy place, standing on the side of a building, staring at a black and white version of himself.

"Hmpf. I guess ya might jus' make a good King f'r this place after all. Yu're cert'nly noble. Call me if ya gettin' in tro'ble, King."

**Two Days Later**

It was raining again, as if the very sky was mourning the death of the light of the Kurosaki household. A large amount of guests had shown up, all dressed in somber blacks and navy midnight blues. After the main part of the funeral, Tatsuki went looking for Ichigo, who had gone missing after he had said a few words over his mother. Finding him looking over a cliff surrounded by cherry blossoms, she joined the crying boy, offering her silent companionship and support. Once three hours had passed, Ichigo slowly stood up. "I'm going to get stronger. That way, nobody will_ ever _die with me around. I'll protect everyone!!"

Tatsuki smiled gently, a warm feeling in her stomach. "I'm sure you will, Ichigo. But that means no more crying."

Ichigo nodded at his friend's confidence in him, a slight hint of his old grin on his face. "I know…. Tatsuki, me and my family are going away for a while. When I come back, I want to spar with you, so you get stronger too, okay?"

"It's a deal!!" The two friends shook hands, and parted to their homes and families.

The next few days at the Kurosaki clinic were calm to any outside viewers, but inside, hidden by a barrier, the remaining members of the family were hectic, finding boxes, packing things and clothes into boxes, and the regular stuff that comes when expecting to move. On the third day, things were anything but normal. Standing in front of the ten boxes of possessions, the three children watched in wonder as their father stepped out of his Gigai, becoming visible to only Ichigo, and the body fell to the ground, to be stuffed in a closet. Isshin took an odd stance, and plunged his Zanpakuto into the air; a gate appearing after the blade was turned. All children could see the gate, and stumbled forward in slight shock when Isshin led them gently through.

When their vision cleared, they found themselves in an old fashioned hallway, with rice paper walls and solid wood flooring, surrounded by people dressed similarly to Isshin, minus the white haori, looking ready to attack. The two little girls clung closer to their father, trying to hide in the loose folds of his pants, while Ichigo stood straighter, eyes flaring in defiance, remembering his promise.

A murmuring swept through the crowd of shinigami, and it parted to reveal an ancient looking man wielding a heavy cane and wearing a slightly different version of Isshin's outfit. The old man smiled suddenly. "Ah, Isshin. I assume that was you who unleashed that reiatsu in the human world?" Isshin scratched his cheek sheepishly. "No matter. I assume you want your old position back and your home for yourself and your children?"

"Hai, Yamamoto-sama. Thank you." Ichigo was curious about the old man, whom his father seemed to respect so much. "Neh, neh. Tou-san, who's this old geezer?"

All the shinigami present stiffened at that, until the old man chuckled, breaking the tension. "Little one, I am Yamamoto-Genryuusai Shigekuni, leader of the Soul Society. You must be Ichigo. Are you planning on becoming a shinigami, young man?" Ichigo grinned, happy that someone so important knew his name. "Hai!! And I'm going to be the best shinigami ever!" the general smiled gently. "That's good to hear. We need more trainees as enthusiastic as you. If you'll all follow me, I shall show you to your home."

Stepping outside the building, into the main area of Seireitei, three pairs of eyes widened, trying to take in all of the old noble style of the buildings and grounds. Half an hour of being led through white mazes later, the group of five set eyes on a modest mansion.

The mansion was two stories high, twenty moderate sized rooms long (they counted), and was surrounded by open sparring rings, with flowers along the walls of the place. The wood was painted a blue-ish white, like their clinic back in Karakura Town. Each room had a comfortable bed, either double or queen sized. In the spacious kitchen, there was a table with seating for ten, and a large fridge and pantry, not to mention a fully functional stove. A single servant was found cleaning up the house, humming a happy tune, only to stop and bow in surprise at the sight of Isshin. "Isshin-sama! It's a joy to see you again, milord." Isshin chuckled warmly.

"Nice to see you again too, Otoran. These are my children, my son Ichigo, and my twin daughters Yuzu and Karin."

"I see. Nice to meet the three of you. I'm the only servant of the family left. But welcome to Soul Society."

Yamamoto smiled at the exchange, and Otoran's offer of fresh cookies to the children. "Glad to see you settling in. I have duties to get back to, and a spar between Isshin and Ichimaru to arrange." The old man left before anyone could move to bow.

**TBC**

(1)** Are hakama and gi the same things, or are they pants and top respectively? If you know, feel free to tell me.**

**Oreo; Well, did you like it? Unfortunately, I probably wont be double updating this story, like my ArkeAngel story, but it looks like a good one in my brain. Don't worry, the chapters will probably be all longer than this one. Now, for some polls.**

**Poll #1**

**Who should Ichigo be paired with? No yaoi, or incest.**

**Poll #2 **

**Hichigo; good or bad.**

**Poll #3**

**The powers of Ichigo's human friends. I can keep canon powers, but it's not as interesting….**

**Poll #4**

**Yuzu and Karin; Shinigami, or not?**

**Oreo; I think that's all for now. Ja Ne. **


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